January 18, 2023 Massapequa Park

SPELLING BEE WINNERS - The Unqua spelling bee was held on Jan. 6, featuring 16 participants who advanced from preliminary rounds in fourth and fifth grade classes. Unqua Elementary School’s spelling bee winners were, from left, Matthew Franzese, third place, Sabrina Mannino, first place, and Adriana Mangiaracina, second place. Photo courtesy of the Massapequa School District

Sold 43 Homes in 2022 • Over $30 Million in Sales Volume:

Copiague | 139 Cambridge Drive*

Massapequa | 219 Park Lane

Wantagh | 3000 North Jerusalem Road

Massapequa Park | 72 Charles Avenue

Levittown | 30 Birch Lane

Seaford | 4032 Clark Street*

Bethpage | 17 Sussex Lane

Farmingdale | 34 Tudor Road

Seaford | 3975 Anne Drive

Massapequa Park | 311 Atlantic Avenue

Dix Hills | 340 Everard Street

Wantagh | 2525 Sycamore Avenue

Great Neck | 37 Brompton Road, 6A

Farmingdale | 9 Birch Place

Massapequa Park | 320 Grover Avenue*

Uniondale | 43 Marvin Avenue

Massapequa Park | 93 3rd Avenue

Massapequa | 122 Harbour View Drive

Massapequa | 84 Cedar Shore Drive*

Hicksville | 62 Froehlich Farm Road

Huntington | 2 Berrywood Drive

Massapequa | 21 Surrey Road

Massapequa | 180 North Suffolk Avenue

Bethpage | 245 Evergreen Avenue

Coram | 655 Middle Country Road, 8D2*

Massapequa | 109 Euclid Avenue

Bethpage | 226 North 6th Street

Massapequa | 161 Southampton Drive*

Massapequa Park | 20 Surrey Lane

Huntington | 8 Royal Oak Drive

Merrick | 3005 Holiday Park Drive

Freeport | 531 Ray Street, 6

Glenwood Landing | 8 King Street*

Kings Park | 18 Ardmore Place*

Woodhaven | 89-40 Woodhaven Boulevard

Merrick | 2962 Holiday Park Drive

Great Neck | 15 Hillpark Avenue, 2M

Great Neck | 11 Wooleys Lane, 1C*

Lindenhurst | 85 Orchard Street

East Northport | 8 Elmay Place

Maspeth | 60-24 56th Drive

North Bellmore | 1481 Bellmore Avenue

Bellmore | 411 Midwood Avenue

2022 Honoree in REALTrends + Tom Ferry

America’s Best Real Estate Professionals

Elpis Hardiman, Lic. R. E. Salesperson O 516.795.3456 | M 516.732.5713 elpis.hardiman@elliman.com | elliman.com

I want to thank all my clients, friends and loved ones for your continued support and trust!

Every Veterans Day Dr. Cynthia Paulis announces the opening of the 500 for 500 competition. The competition is open to all Massapequa High School seniors only. The students are to answer the selected question in 500 words or less and the winners will receive a check for 500 dollars. The contest begins Veterans Day and all

essays must be submitted to Mr. Paul Weber in the guidance office by January 31, 2023. The 500 for 500 contest is open to all Massapequa High School seniors. The finalists will read their essays at a public ceremony and must be present to win. The topic this year is the following: During the pandemic, our constitutional rights

came under fire, especially the first amendment. As a student, how were you personally affected, and what would you do to see this never happens again?

Good luck and I look forward to your essays!

Dr. Cynthia Paulis, Proud Veteran, Massapequa Hall of Fame 2022.

Clothing Donations Needed For Long Island Children

Ethical Friends of Children, a program helping needy families on Long Island, seeks clothing (tops, bottoms, pjs, sweaters and socks) in certain sizes. Specific sizes are: GIRLS: 3-4, 4-5 and 9-10 and BOYS: 7-8 and 9-10.

Ethical Friends of Children is an outreach

program of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island., established in 1985.

“We assist more than 2,500 children and their families each year by providing them clothing for children from newborn to size 12 as well as infant furniture at no cost,” says Pat Spencer of Port Washington. The “store” – staffed entirely by

volunteers – lets families pick out the things they need, at no cost to them.

Those interested in making contributions of clothing or gift cards, should call Ethical Friends of Children at 516-2805526 or email efoc@ehsli. org

Pravato Reminds Residents To Avoid Penalties By Paying General Taxes Prior To February 10th

Oyster Bay Town Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato reminds residents that the First Half of the 2023 General Tax Levy was due on January 1st, but can be paid without penalty through February 10th. Please be certain to sign your check, payable to Jeffrey P. Pravato, Receiver of Taxes. Indicate your property’s S.D. Code, Section, Block, Lot, and Phone number on the check.

“The Town of Oyster Bay did not raise taxes for 2023, however, the General Tax bill also includes amounts for Nassau County and special districts. New York State Laws allows my office to provide taxpayers with a 40-day penalty free period from the date the tax is due during which payment may be made without penalty,” added Receiver Pravato. “After the 40 days, State Law requires a one percent penalty be added for each month the tax remains unpaid, retroactive to January 1st. Don’t delay, make your payment before February 10th and ensure you aren’t paying more out of pocket than you need to.”

Taxes can be paid inperson at Town Hall North (74 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay) and at Town Hall South (977 Hicksville Road in Massapequa) daily from 9:00am to 4:45pm to assist residents and accept payments with either a check, cash or credit card.* Both indoor offices and walkup outdoor windows are staffed to assist the public. On February 9th and 10th, both offices will be open from 8:00am to 6:00pm. When paying in person, residents are reminded to bring the entire tax bill. Drop Boxes have been installed at both Town Hall North and Town Hall South for residents to make payments when the Tax Office is closed.

Residents who prefer

to mail in their payments should send them to the Office of the Receiver of Taxes, 74 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, N.Y. 117711539. Please be certain to sign your check, and make it payable to Jeffrey P. Pravato, Receiver of Taxes. Indicate your property’s S.D. Code, Section, Block, Lot and phone number on the check, along with your payment stub. Residents should NOT write on, fold, staple or otherwise deface the tax stub as it can cause the computer system to reject the payment.

Taxpayers can access 2023 General Tax information at www. oysterbaytown.com. Residents may view tax bills, print out a hard

copy, or pay taxes with an ACH check payment using a checking account for a service fee of $1.75 cents*, or by credit card for a much higher fee* charged by the credit card companies. *Town of Oyster Bay receives no portion of this fee.

For more information on property taxes and/or payments, residents may call at (516) 624-6400 or email receiveroftaxes@ oysterbay-ny.gov. Callers are requested to have the school district, section, block and lot numbers of the property in question available. This information is listed on the tax bill and on the property deed.

Upgraded Tennis Courts Coming Soon To Anchor Park

Oyster Bay Town

Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilman Steve Labriola recently announced that upgraded tennis courts are coming soon to Anchor Park in Massapequa. Existing tennis courts will be entirely replaced and reconstructed to ensure generations of residents to come will be able to enjoy a game of tennis at this beautiful park.

“Tennis offers a great workout, competition, camaraderie and lots of fun,” said Supervisor Saladino. “My administration is committed to keeping our town beautiful and will be replacing aging courts in Anchor

Park with brand new, beautiful tennis courts. From upgrading parks to repaving roadways, we’re making sure the Town of Oyster Bay is the best place to live, work and raise a family.

The new tennis courts will be designed and constructed according to the existing layout, while improving the overall safety and experience for players. These upgrades come in addition to various other park improvements coming soon throughout the Town of Oyster Bay, including new Pickleball courts at the Field of Dreams in Massapequa, Allen Park in Farmingdale, SyossetWoodbury Community Park, and Plainview-Old

Bethpage Park.

“We’re upgrading parks throughout the Town of Oyster Bay and know that these new tennis courts in Anchor Park will be a hit for both competitive and recreational tennis players alike. My colleagues on the Town Board and I encourage you to take advantage of them and enjoy this wonderful sport!” added Councilman Labriola.

Located at the corner of Admiral Road and Anchor Drive along a canal in Massapequa, Anchor Park is a hidden gem in our community. The park is home to a baseball and soccer field, along with basketball courts and a playground.

By Noelle Lambert

The Charity of the Month for January is Pal-O-Mine Equestrian

www.pal-o-mine.org

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian is a local non-profit organization that began in 1995 as a therapeutic horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. They grew from having two programs, eight horses and 80 students per week to 11 programs, 25 horses and 400 students per week - and they continue to grow today!

“2023 will be a year of physical growth with our new educational center and treatment clinic, as well as spiritual growth by continuing to serve the many who need our 13 acre farm and herd to help them heal from trauma, grow in personal strength and learn new things to brighten their future,” said Lisa Gatti, Founder of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian. The organization will be o ering various events throughout 2023, some of which are noted below.

February 15th they will kick-o a 3 month virtual Hay Drive Fundraiser. “We’ve been holding this Fundraiser once a year for 3 years now because in the last few years the cost of hay has tripled,” said Lisa. “Every penny donated through this fundraiser goes directly to helping us buy hay for our herd. I’d like to warmly thank everyone in advance for their support and donations, it truly helps us more than you know.” This year they are proud to o er a new text to donate feature. More information is available on their website (www.pal-o-mine.org).

Additionally, May 3rd through May 7th from 9:30AM-2:30PM they are holding their annual J-STEP Spring Craft Fair at their farm, located at 829 Old Nichols Road in Islandia.

J-STEP, which stands for Job Security Through Equine Partnership, is their Vocational Program. The program o ers a paid internship that runs 5 days per week for people with disabilities who are 18 years or older. Every item showcased at this fair is handcrafted by the J-STEP interns.

Lastly, May 4th from 6PM-9PM they will hold a Stable Spirits Art Show and Auction in their barn. This will be a night you won’t want to miss, filled with local wine and cheese, creativity and philanthropy! Pal-O-Mine will proudly feature up and coming artists in individual “stalls” in the barn and proceeds from each sale will go towards building their new educational center and clinic.

If you are interested in finding out more about their J-STEP Program or learning about the opportunity to have your art displayed at the Stable Spirits Art Show, contact Tessa at TessaVF@pal-o-mine. org. For more general information about Pal-O-Mine, call 631-348-1389, visit their website (www.pal-o-mine.org), Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Instagram. If your nonprofit would like to be featured in this column, please call Noelle Lambert at 631.226.2636 x225 for consideration.

Robert Zabbia President, Massapequa Chamber of Commerce

January 2023

new year comes new opportunities, and of course, new challenges. This is the time of year that we all assess where we nished up last year in our business and personal lives, make adjustments, and set new goals. It

New Year!

great to put all that we have done behind us, learn from our mistakes, and take pride in our accomplishments.

One of the mistakes I see business owners make, is that they beat themselves up over not hitting their goals, missing opportunities, and/or making errors. Many then lower their goals, dwell on their failures, and lessen their expectations. Many business owners may feel like they are being held hostage by their business and their employees.

Yesterday, I read a Facebook post from a business owner that I admire, and I was shocked. This is a very well-known, successful business that most of us know and love, and would just have assumed that the owner was doing great. He had sold his business a few years ago, and yesterday, he admitted that he was being held hostage by it. Looking back, he stated that getting out of the business was the best move he ever made. The stress of running his own business for thirty years took a toll on him.

So how do we avoid this as business owners? There are many strategies, and all I can do is share mine. Yes, being a business owner is very stressful. There is nobody to turn to when things are on the line; it is all ultimately up to you as the owner. You have no boss to turn to, you can’t just call in sick, and you take your business with you wherever you go - on vacation, to your kids’ games, even to your holiday dinner table.

The only thing that you can do to limit this stress is to surround yourself with a support network that can help you. First is your spouse - they need to be all in to help you, and understand that the business is what takes care of your families, and then funds your retirement when you sell it.

The next is your team. I don’t consider my team employees; they are all partners in my business. I give them the authority to make decisions to improve the business, so they either buy into our culture of taking care of clients and hitting our goals, or they leave the team. 2022 was a challenging year for all of us. I learned a big lesson about my team and turned over most of my staff. They are all great people, and left on good terms with me, but they all just didn’t share that vision, and followed other opportunities. I had to work harder in the business to replace them and train the new team on what our culture is all about. After going through many interviews and letting people go who I could tell weren’t going to t after the hire, I now have team members who so far are all in. Another important group of people that you need to surround yourself with is fellow businesspeople who are in similar situations as you. Whether it is a networking group, a social group, or the Chamber of Commerce, there are people around you who understand what you are going through, and they can help and provide valuable advice. Our goal for the Chamber in our 75th year is to be that resource for all our members. We are going to be providing education, events, networking, and roundtables to help our fellow business owners and managers get through 2023. The reason being a business owner can be so rewarding nancially is because it is so tough, and a big risk. Many businesses fail because they don’t reach out for the help they need. The Chamber of Commerce is here to provide help and resources to all our business owners, whether they operate, live, or just service the Massapequas. Happy

Robert Zabbia

Robert Zabbia, President Massapequa Chamber of Commerce

Top Spellers Square Off At Massapequa’s Unqua School

The ultimate goal is to make it to the Scripps national spelling bee in Washington, D.C., but for 16 students at Unqua Elementary School in the Massapequa School District, the journey started on a familiar stage.

The Unqua spelling bee was held on Jan. 6, featuring 16 participants who advanced from preliminary rounds in fourth and fifth grade classes. After nine rounds, fifth grader Sabrina Mannino remained as the

only student who spelled every word correctly. She just needed to spell “bovines” right to be crowned as champion. She did, and the audience erupted in cheers.

Finishing in second place was fourth grader Adriana Mangiaracina, with third place going to fifth grader

Matthew Franzese. The three top finishers received trophies and Barnes and Noble gift cards.

Sabrina and Adriana qualified for the regional spelling bee. The written portion will be in February, followed by the oral spelling bee on March 24

at Half Hollow Hills East High School.

Unqua’s spelling bee was held in partnership with the PTA, with Stacey Hock and Tracey Bisceglie serving as event co-chairs. Fifth grade teacher Mary Elizabeth Delaney was the pronouncer, as she said

each word, used it in a sentence, and said it again. Sarah Lang and Deanna Musacchia were the judges and Megan Draghi was the timekeeper.

Residents Reminded To Turn

‘Trash Into Cash’ Planning For Retirement

(NAPSI)—It’s never too early—or late—to start planning for retirement. Including life insurance to supplement your savings can provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Learn more from the experts at Bankers Life Insurance at www. bankerslife.com.

SIXTEEN FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS ADVANCED TO THE SCHOOL

FINAL - Sixteen fourth and fifth graders advanced from classroom spelling bees to participate in the school final. Photo courtesy of the Massapequa School District SPELLING BEE WINNERS - Unqua Elementary School’s spelling bee winners were, from left, Matthew Franzese, third place, Sabrina Mannino, first place, and Adriana Mangiaracina, second place. Photo courtesy of the Massapequa School District

‘TRASH INTO CASH’ - Beginning in January, the Town will return glass to its recycling collection, allowing residents to place plastics, metals and glass all in their yellow collection pail. Pictured above: Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (second from left) joins with Town Councilman Lou Imbroto, Councilwoman Laura Maier and Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato remind residents to begin recycling glass in the new year, as well as bundle cardboard beside their recycling pails.

Over 20 years in the business Denise is a certi ed real estate professional with Call Murf Real Estate. Denise has been selling real estate since 2002, and is licensed to represent both Sellers or Buyers.

Denise has lived in Massapequa since 1955, has gone through the Massapequa school district and all three of her children have graduated from the district. Denise has been active with the PTA and school council, serving on the board as a liasion for the elementary, middle and high school parents. She’s been very active in the booster clubs for the middle school and high school for baseball, football and soccer as well as the Massapequa Coast Baseball League and the Massapequa Mustangs, and very active with the Massapequa Shores Civic Association.

Denise specializes in all the Massapequa’s and the surrounding Nassau communities to include Long Beach and Suffolk County and would welcome the opportunity to help you and your family and friends with your real estate needs. Whether you are looking to sell your home or looking to purchase a home, or if you are interested in knowing what you home is worth in today’s market, please give her a call and she would be happy to assist you. My office and support staff at Call Murf Real Estate are very well informed in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Call Murf Real Estate is one of the top well known independent rms on Long Island. I’m proud to say 58 years of combined real estate successes!

Below are some of Denise’s outstanding record of sales in the Massapequa’s.

MASSAPEQUAS HOMES SOLD:

N. Beech Street, Massapequa

Park Lane, Massapequa

Forest Avenue, Massapequa

Algonquin Avenue, Massapequa

Albany Avenue, Massapequa

Bayview Avenue, Massapequa

N. Kings Avenue, Massapequa

N. Baldwin Avenue, Massapequa

Laurae Drive, Massapequa Park

Rockwood Avenue, Massapequa

N. Rutherford Avenue, Massapequa

Lee Place, Massapequa

Unqua Road, Massapequa

West End Avenue, Massapequa

Park Lane, Massapequa Park

Linda Drive, Massapequa

Merritt Avenue, Massapequa

West End Avenue, Massapequa

Jerusalem Avenue, Massapequa

East Lake Avenue, Massapequa Park

Tryconnell Avenue, Massapequa Park

Ann Rose Street, Massapequa

Colonial Drive, Massapequa

Lake Shore Drive, Massapequa

Sandy Lane, Massapequa

Balitmore Avenue, Massapequa

Cedar Place, Massapequa

Cherry Street, Massapequa

E. Highland Avenue, Massapequa

Clearwater Avenue, Massapequa

Westwood Road, Massapequa Park

West Shore Drive, Massapequa

Paci c Street, Massapequa Park

Violet Street, Massapequa Park

Louis Street, Massapequa

Merrick Road, Massapequa

Merrick Road, Massapequa

Connecticut Avenue, Massapequa

West End Avenue, Massapequa

Ensign Lane, Massapequa

2nd Avenue, Massapequa

N. Nassau Avenue, Massapequa

Ontario Avenue, Massapequa

Hunter Ridge Road, North Massapequa

Eastwood Drive, Massapequa Park

Baltimore Avenue, Massapequa

East Lake Avenue, Massapequa Park

Swan Lane, Massapequa

N. Ontario Avenue, Massapequa

West Shore Drive, Massapequa

Denise Andriano Lic. R.E. Salesperson

PARK